Internal medicine is the branch of medicine that deals with treating the whole patient. An internal medicine physician, also called an internist, can treat many illnesses and conditions, and is skilled in treating a patient who has several illnesses or disorders at the same time. This internist, who can be a primary care physician, emphasizes disease prevention and wellness, but can treat problems of the eyes, ears, skin, nervous system and reproductive organs, along with mental health or substance abuse issues.

The internal medicine physician can also treat cancer or diseases of the heart, blood, kidneys, joints, and digestive, respiratory and vascular systems, while concentrating on the wellness of the patient as a whole.

Physicians in this specialty treat patients suffering from numerous diseases and illnesses, but some of the most common are Emphysema, Broncho-Esophagology, Bronchitis, Pneumonia, Osteoarthritis , Hyper / Hypoglycemia, cystic fibrosis, Diabetes, Asthma, pectus excavatum, osteoporosis, Macular Degeneration, cancer, infection, Autism, Congestive heart failure, Herpes, Hypertension, Heart Attack, and Anemia.

Once properly diagnosed, practitioners can perform numerous procedures on patients including Lithotripsy, Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP, dialysis, angioplasty, mechanical ventilation, endoscopy, cardioversion, Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), cardiac ablation, and intra-aortic balloon pump.

To diagnose patients with possible illnesses and diseases, specialists will often perform one of many tests including FAA-Flight Physicial, physicial / check up, Bone density test, dialysis, physicial examination, Computed Axial Tomography (CT or CAT Scan), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), ultrasound, x-ray, biopsy, Blood Test, Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), Upper GI (Barium Swallow), electrolyte test, Lower GI (Barium Enema), stool test, pH probe test, and microbiological culture.

Doctor density varies by specialty and location. Iowa has 732 practicing internal medicine doctors. Broken out by city, internal medicine doctor density in Albia is 2, in Ames is 18, in Ankeny is 6, in Atlantic is 1, in Audubon is 1, in Bettendorf is 19, in Bloomfield is 2, in Boone is 3, in Britt is 1, in Burlington is 4, in Camanche is 1, in Carlisle is 1, in Carroll is 5, in Cedar Falls is 12, in Cedar Rapids is 23, in Centerville is 1, in Cherokee is 1, in Clarinda is 1, in Clarion is 1, in Clear Lake is 1, in Clinton is 8, in Clive is 9, in Coralville is 9, in Corning is 2, in Council Bluffs is 25, in Creston is 3, in Davenport is 38, in De Witt is 4, in Decorah is 1, in Denison is 2, in Des Moines is 144, in Dubuque is 33, in Dysart is 1, in Fairfield is 2, in Fort Dodge is 6, in Fort Madison is 3, in Garner is 1, in Glenwood is 3, in Grinnell is 2, in Grundy Center is 1, in Hamburg is 1, in Hampton is 1, in Harlan is 1, in Hawarden is 3, in Humboldt is 2, in Iowa City is 226, in Iowa Falls is 1, in Jefferson is 1, in Johnston is 1, in Keokuk is 1, in Knoxville is 4, in Le Mars is 1, in Lenox is 1, in Mapleton is 1, in Maquoketa is 1, in Marengo is 1, in Mason City is 22, in Missouri Valley is 1, in Mount Pleasant is 4, in Moville is 1, in Muscatine is 9, in Newton is 3, in North Liberty is 1, in Oakland is 1, in Oelwein is 1, in Onawa is 1, in Orange City is 1, in Oskaloosa is 2, in Ottumwa is 21, in Parkersburg is 3, in Pella is 5, in Perry is 1, in Postville is 2, in Primghar is 3, in Red Oak is 5, in Rock Rapids is 1, in Rock Valley is 2, in Sheldon is 1, in Shell Rock is 1, in Shenandoah is 2, in Sigourney is 4, in Sioux Center is 1, in Sioux City is 17, in Spencer is 2, in Spirit Lake is 2, in Storm Lake is 2, in Tipton is 1, in Toledo is 1, in Tripoli is 1, in Urbandale is 3, in Villisca is 4, in Washington is 2, in Waterloo is 39, in Waverly is 1, in Webster City is 2, in West Burlington is 3, in West Des Moines is 21, in West Union is 1, in Williamsburg is 1, and in Winterset is 1.

Iowa’s capital is Des Moines, home to Drake University. Iowa achieved Statehood 1846, and the state’s population is now 2,996,334. The Mississippi river borders the state on the east, and a majority of the state’s economic output is agricultural. Many cultural and entertainment opportunities exist for visitors to the “quad cities” of Davenport and Bettendorf, IA, and Rock Island and Moline, IL. Numerous museums, arts, music and sports events are available in Iowa, including the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, the Amana Colonies, and the Buffalo Bill Cody Homestead. Famous people born in Iowa: Buffalo Bill, entertainers Johnny Carson and John Wayne, and former president Herbert Hoover.

According to 2005 Census estimates, Iowa has a population of 2,966,334. Of this population, 656,031 are under the age of 18 and 434,196 are at or above the age of 65.